Sunday, September 22, 2013

412. The Accusation of 'Hypergrace'

The term "hypergrace" has been used recently by some who apparently believe that grace is being taken to an extreme. We address a few of these concerns from an article in a popular Christian publication. The first thing that needs to be confronted here is the misunderstanding that legalistic religion has clung to and that is the belief that the New Covenant is a more perfect continuation of the Old Covenant. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this line of thinking will point entirely in the wrong direction and will lead to many more misunderstandings regarding the gospel of grace.

8 comments:

That's a question that often gets brought up, and understandably so. I'll try to give my understanding of things.

Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." Matt 5:17

And so indeed, He Himself did not come to destroy either the law or the Prophets. His mission was to fulfill it all. He then did fulfill it.

In Luke 16:16, He says, "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it."

Paul wrote in Romans 3:21-22, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe."

The big picture that I see in all of this is that the Law and the Prophets were there for a reason, and it all pointed "to" Christ. Jesus then fulfilled all of it - all of the Law and the Prophets. The purpose of all of it is fulfilled in Him. So everything is now found in Him. The purpose of the Law and the Prophets, having been fulfilled in Christ, is over. All things point to Christ Himself.

That's why Paul can say in Col 2:14 that the law has been "wiped out," "taken out of the way" and "nailed to the cross." And it's why the writer of Hebrews can say in Heb 8:13 that the Old Covenant (which was made up of all the laws, ordinances and sacrifices) has now been made obsolete.

The law's job - a very important job - is done. Its job was to "stop every mouth" and make the whole world "guilty before God." It did its job well, and then Jesus came and fulfilled every ounce of it on our behalf. We are now found in Him, not in the Law (and not in the Prophets, for that matter).

I hope this helps, and if it needs to be simplified or further explained, I can sure try. :)

Mike, in addition to what Joel said, here are a few more thoughts on your question...Keep in mind Gentiles were never under the first covenant which included the law of Moses. This was for Israel alone.

After Jesus rose from the dead we find in the last chapter of Luke: "Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He taught them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."

In other words, what He spoke to the Jews at the sermon on the mount indeed was fulfilled and Jesus showed His disciples this by teaching them the law, the prophets and the psalms and how their purpose all pointed to Him.

The other thing I wanted to mention that religion has confused us with is that the new covenant is not an amendment to the old. It's not a continuation of the first covenant but a replacement. In Hebrews 8 (prior to Joel's verse mentioned above) it states: "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord."

Old wine and new wine don't mix. The old and new covenants simply can't be mixed together.

Wassup Mike, In Addition to Joel and Kap, Which summed it all up!!! But notice that right after Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the Law but to Fulfill it, the next verse which is Matthew 5:18 says " For verily I say unto You, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled." I love studying endtime scriptures nd people who are against The true Nature of Grace, who limit Grace to just "one aspect of the Word of God" they use this scripture, but out of its context, nd I've heard many ppl say that they can tell that we are in the last days because many are practicing Lawlessness, referring to "Grace Preachers" but here it is, Notice that Jesus first said that he came to fulfill the Law, then he says that until heaven and earth pass not on jot or tittle will pass from the law, but notice the end of the verse 18, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED. He did fulfill the Law of Moses, Which was the Law for righteousness to the Israelites. His last words before bowing his head and giving up the Ghost were "It Is Finished" indicating that The Law for righteousness is Gone. But The Gift of Righteousness has Come. So yes The Law is over, because the law was just a school master until the one who it taught has come. Jus think of it like this, what if I was your friend nd I stayed in Florida, but u stayed in Michigan, nd had no phones, so we send eachother letters, but say I move to Michigan nd move in a place on the same street as u, no longer will the letters serve purpose because now we are with each other personally. We would be able to tlk face to face. So know the the Law was great for showing the Jews how bad they were. That's why Paul was able to saw by Holy Spirit Of Grace "For Christ Is The End Of The Law For Righteousness To Everyone That Believeth" Romans 10:4. We now live under The New Law. The Law of The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, Which has set us free from the Law of sin and death, Romans 8:2. God's Grace Reign In you Through The Spirit of His Son Jesus, Who in Truth is The Everlasting Father Amen!!!

Thanks all for responding, now I have a better understanding of that verse. I believe the biggest revelation I received that the Gentiles wer never under the law to begin with.(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.{Romans 2:14). I don't get why many preaches keep promoting the law when we were never under it to begin with.

I know the Bible talks about the law being the schoolmaster to lead people to Christ. Everything the law required pointed to Christ because he is the fulfillment. Thank God that we are not under the law but under grace! No matter how many people try to put people in all that bondage.

Thanks Joel for explaining that as well, there are no mixture. That is one of my favorite scriptures- NOT according the covenant I made with their Fathers because they did not continue in it...BINGO!

Thanks Montyeze, I love your analogy about the different locations, that made a lot of sense and it helped me tremendously.

Good stuff, Kap, Montyeze and Mike! The Old and New don't mix, the law was meant to lead *to* Christ, and then its purpose was fulfilled. And indeed, I don't know how many believers really do realize that most people who have ever lived - Gentiles - have never been "under the law." And even if we, not having the law, somehow "did the things in the law" (Romans 2:14), it was never enough and it came nowhere close to making us actually be righteous. Same with the Jews, who had the law. They thought they were righteous because it was them to whom the law was given. But in the end, no matter who a person is - Jew or Gentile - we're all justified equally through faith in Jesus Christ, apart from the law.

Its amazing how a little over a yr ago I was holding the veil of the Law over my own eyes. I would minister just enough Grace to get ppl saved but after that, full law, lol. Not knowing that IHave just leavened the whole lump of Grace with law nd now it was no more Grace. Thank God for Removing the veil of the Law. Now everything I read in the Bible is clear. Verses that I always wondered About are open. One is this, I always thought that on the road to damascus Paul was blinded by the Light of theGlory of the Lord. But then I noticed that All the men who were with him saw the light as well, so why weren't they blinded as well?? (Acts 22:9) The Lord Showed me why Saul (Paul) was blinded. Here's why, notice that Paul wasa jew nd a heavy follower of the law of moses, in 2 Corinthians 3:14 says that the israelites had a veil that blinded their Minds when the law was read. That veil was over Pauls heart as well, but when the Glory of the Lord shoneAround him, the truth was revealed, he was really blind, the Lord was showing him that that's how he was really livingAfter all. Now notice that in 2Corinthians 3:16 says that when kt shall turn to the Lord, the veil is then taken away. Paul was blinded for 3days (the number of the Godhead) nd while blind, God spoke to a man named Ananias, and told him Go to Paul and lay his hands on him that he may recieve his sight. Why Ananias? Because the only way for the veil of the law to be removed is to turn to the Lord (Be born again) hold that thought!!! So Ananias went in and layed his handsOn him and said " Brother Saul, The Lord Jesus Christ has sent me that you may recieve your sight and be filled with Holy Spirit" immediately the scales fell from his eys nd he recieved sight nd was baptized. Back to why Ananias, when the ScalesFell from his eyes, it showed the two stones of the Law be destroyed, nd the first person he saw was Ananias, In the Hebrew The name Ananias means Grace ( Favored by God) , God wanted him to see Grace when the law left his eyes. Praise God!!

Hi Joel and Kap, I enjoy listening to you guys. I've been on the new covenant page for a little while now and am quite enjoying it. I am continually unlearning and relearning things about life in Christ etc.Anyway I read the article you were discussing and I have a question about one of the verses mentioned: James 5:14-15 "if he (the sick man) has sinned he will be forgiven." It seems like the sick man is a believer and therefore forgiven so why does James put it that way...he will be forgiven? Also at the very end of the book, James writes about a brother wandering from the truth and someone bringing him back and admonishing that whoever saves a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death etc. What am I missing here, it sounds like he is writing to fellow believers, but then if they happen to wander from the truth, they are referred to as sinners again who are be saved from death. How should I be interpreting these lines in light of grace?

Growing in Grace is a weekly podcast airing on various internet sources. Sit down with Mike and Joel as they casually chat about growing in understanding the gospel and living in the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ. New episodes are uploaded every Sunday and all past episodes are archived here. Special thanks to our podcast announcer, Amy Wolter.